The Tiger Effect In Art

Everyone knows that 2010 is the Year of the Tiger, and that this is of interest not just to the Chinese but to the whole world. In this sense at least: The number of tigers living in the wild in the world today is 3,200! Is this beautiful animal, whose species is endangered, going to enjoy the luxury of living in the wild when the next Year of the Tiger rolls around in 2022? London’s Asia House is mounting an exhibition, ‘The Tiger in Asian Art’, for these animals, who have represented power and protection to the people of Asia for centuries.

The express purpose of the exhibition, which includes works across a broad spectrum from the earliest centuries B.C.E. right up to modern times by the people of China, Japan, Korea, Tibet, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Burma and Mongolia, is to bring about a palpable increase in the number of these animals by the next Year of the Tiger. As part of the exhibition, a forum will also be organized with the participation of speakers from many countries around the world. To be discussed is what can be done to make people more sensitive to the issue.